The Asian Financial Forum 2026 (AFF) once again demonstrates why Hong Kong remains one of the world’s most important financial centers. The forum brings together policymakers, global investors, corporate leaders and thought innovators to discuss themes at the heart of today’s economic challenges: sustainable growth, digital transformation, economic resilience, and the evolving architecture of international finance. Helping the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to align with the country’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) on a proactive basis and Chinese mainland enterprises to “go global” is also one of the focuses of the event.

The two-day event has attracted global attention, and is being attended by more than 140 financial officials, business leaders and financial experts as guest speakers, as well as over 3,600 participants from more than 60 countries and regions, and close to 10,000 registered participants from government delegations, financial institutions, multinational corporations and international organizations.

Hong Kong, renowned for its robust financial system, strategic location, and business-friendly policies, remains a key player in global trade and investment, having become one of the world’s most important financial centers — not only maintaining its status year after year but also enhancing it, as reflected in most finance- and innovation-related global rankings.

A while ago, some intense debate arose regarding Hong Kong’s economy when some commentators suggested that Hong Kong is “over”.

The truth is, Hong Kong’s economy is far from “over”; the city is ranking higher than ever in most international finance- and innovation-related rankings, and is leveraging its financial prowess and involvement in projects like the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Meanwhile, recent events have reminded the world that Hong Kong’s resilience is not only economic but societal. The tragic Tai Po fire last November deeply affected the community and tested the city’s emergency response, governance structures and collective spirit. Yet the aftermath work has shown Hong Kong at its most mature and united. Authorities acted swiftly, support mechanisms were mobilized, independent investigations were launched, and the wider public responded with solidarity rather than division. Far from undermining confidence, the episode demonstrated that Hong Kong possesses the institutional capacity, social cohesion and civic responsibility needed to confront adversity, learn from it and emerge stronger. This ability to respond to crisis with order, accountability and compassion is an often-overlooked but essential ingredient in Hong Kong’s long-term competitiveness and stability.

Hong Kong’s success is closely related to the Chinese mainland’s success. The city now is embracing opportunities from the Greater Bay Area development, and, by playing a proactive part in China’s 15th Five-Year Plan, the HKSAR is unleashing its potential thanks to unreserved support from the central authorities for advancing key strategies to upgrade its superconnector role

We must also bear in mind that Hong Kong went through the Asian financial crisis, severe acute respiratory syndrome, the global financial tsunami, and the COVID-19 pandemic without any significant outflow of capital and without diminishing its role as one of the world’s most important financial centers. This was because of Hong Kong’s inherent strength and resilience. Furthermore, the “one country, two systems” principle has been the cornerstone of Hong Kong’s progress over the last 28 years and will undoubtedly remain so for many decades to come.

Hong Kong’s success is closely related to the Chinese mainland’s success. The city now is embracing opportunities from the Greater Bay Area development, and, by playing a proactive part in China’s 15th Five-Year Plan, the HKSAR is unleashing its potential thanks to unreserved support from the central authorities for advancing key strategies to upgrade its superconnector role, including the digital yuan and environmental, social and governance.

Hong Kong remains a resilient financial titan; it ranked third globally in the 38th Global Financial Centres Index report published in September 2025. Also — and this is very relevant — fintech-wise, Hong Kong took top position followed by Shenzhen, with New York falling to third place in the same report. This underscores the city’s resilience, competitiveness, and enduring appeal to international investors. It also underscores Hong Kong’s strength in innovation and new technologies.

Innovation-wise, the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou cluster ranked first globally — for the first time — in the Global Innovation Index published by the World Intellectual Property Organization in September 2025, overtaking the Tokyo-Yokohama cluster.

While people all over the world only associate Hong Kong with finance, the truth is, the city excels in many more areas. Leaving aside its rich cultural heritage and high quality of life, the city is also an innovation hub, as was demonstrated by the Global Innovation Index ranking.

In addition, Hong Kong is a magnet for global talent: In September 2025, the Swiss-based International Institute for Management Development published its World Talent Ranking 2025, with Hong Kong’s ranking climbing to fourth place globally from ninth in the previous year, marking its highest-ever ranking and placing it in the top spot in Asia. As a matter of fact, for the second consecutive year, Hong Kong improved its position across all three ranked talent competitiveness factors. Its ranking rose by eight places to 20th in “appeal”, and by one place for both “readiness” and “investment and development” to third and 12th respectively.

An old Chinese proverb advises, “Don’t miss opportunities: Time doesn’t come round again.” This is perfectly applicable to Hong Kong, which is eager to grasp any opportunities to attract investment, talent, and innovation.

Hong Kong excels in education, innovation, and attracting world talent, and its ability to excel in these three areas, plus its status as one of the world’s most important financial centers, is what makes it such a uniquely competitive and attractive city.

AFF 2026 reinforces a simple yet powerful message: A connected, robust and innovative financial ecosystem is not just desirable but necessary for the region’s sustained growth. Hong Kong’s contributions to this ecosystem, whether through policy leadership, capital formation, regulatory expertise or international engagement, underscore the city’s enduring relevance. As the global economy adjusts to new realities, Hong Kong’s role as a platform for dialogue, cooperation and innovation remains as vital as ever. And as Asia continues to define the future of international finance, Hong Kong will be at the forefront of that evolution.

The author is a fintech adviser, a researcher and a former business analyst for a Hong Kong publicly listed company. 

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.